Building wall



April 1942- P. KNUDSEN 2,281,072"

BUILDING WALL Filed July 6,- 1940 N //v: 5/v TOE N Psec V 5 Ml/DJE/V l; Mug/3m;

Patented Apr. 28, 1942 BUILDING WALL Percy E. Knudsen, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Pittsburgh Corning Corporation,

Allegheny County, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 6, 1940, Serial No. 344,247

Claims.

The present invention relates to walls of buildings and it has particular relation to walls constructed of hollow blocks. of glass or similar materials.

One object of the invention is to provide a wall comprising hollow blocks of glass, which wall possesses novel features. of ornamentation.

A; second object of the invention is to provide a wall of the foregoing type which is relatively rigid and highly resistant to wind pressures and other forces which may tend to cause its collapse.

It has heretofore been proposed to form walls of buildings of hollow blocks or glass capable of transmitting light, but by reason of the dead air spaces therewithin being resistant to transmission of heat by conduction. These blocks wereusually substantially of rectangular horizontal section and were cemented together or otherwise secured together in a manner similar to that employed in the fabrication of walls of stone, brick, hollow tiles or other building units, to provide simple substantially plane surfaces. For purposes of providing rounded corners inthe conventional wall :a type of block hasv ornamentation.

. In accordance with the provisions of the present invention it is proposed to form a wall of courses of the segmentary corner type blocks faced alternately inwardly to give a corrugate or fluted effect to the wall'or such portion of'it as may be desired.

V For a better understanding of the invention reference may now be, made to the accompanying drawing in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion of a wall constructed in accordance with the provisions of the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along a broken line at a joint between two contiguous courses of blocks.

Figure 3 is an isometric view of a suitable form of block for use in the practice of the invention.

The wall as shown may comprise suitable side portions It, of concrete, stone, or other conventional building material that may take the form of columns or pilasters or may be simply parts of a solid masonry wall defining an opening for the panel ll, constituting the subject matter of the present invention. The edges of the opening may be reinforced and faced by suitable structure, for example, by means of angle bars l2, one leg [3 of which is projected outwardly to provide an abutment for the edges of the panel H and the other leg M of which engages part ID of the wall.

A second angle-like element 15 may also be disposed in the opening with its back contiguous to the back of the branch [3 and with its remaining branch I6 projecting away from the angle l2. At its outer edge the bar 1 5 is also provided with a lip ll, thus providing a chase for the reception of a marginal portion of the glass block panel. The chase if desired may be packed with a suitable expansion material lfl such as cork, felt or the like, in order to allow for expansion and contraction of the panel, without imposing undue strain upon the blocks confined therein. Packings l9 and 2!] are of oakum, or other suitable weatherproofing material may also be provided at the shoulders of the blocks to prevent entrance of moisture to the packings It.

A glass block 2|, such as that from which the panel II is assembled, is shown in perspective view in Fig. 3 and comprises concentric cylindrical faces 22 and 23, end faces 24, which are segments of an annulus and side faces 26, which converge at right angles with respect to each other. In the assembly of the panel the end blocks of each course are set with one of the faces 26 resting against the packing l8 and the oakum packings I9 and 28 are then filled in to provide a weather-tight seal about the margin of the block. The remainder of the blocks of the course are laid alternately facing inwardly and outwardly, thus providing a series of vertically extending flutings or corrugations 28 and 29. The joints between the blocks of course are sealed by suitable material such as packings 30, of cement or mortar.

In order to increase the rigidity of the wall, transversely reticulated reinforcing grids are inserted in the cement between each pair of courses or between courses at suitable intervals. The grid structure is best shown in Fig. 2 and comprises bars or rods of steel, brass or other suitable material of sufiicient rigidity appropriately fastened together by welding or by clamps. One of these bars 3| preferably is straight and continuous and rests at its opposite ends against the packing 2!. This bar is strengthened and reinforced by suitable truss structures 32, the vertices of which project alternately upon opposite sides of the bar in such manner as substantially to correspond to the convolutions or flutings of the wall. Each truss includes bars 33 arranged in inverted V formation with their extremities secured by welding, clamping or other suitable means to the rod 3|. The apex of each truss is connected by means of a suitable rod 34 with the rod 31', in order to increase the rigidity of the structure. It will be observed that the ends of the rods 34 opposite the vertices of the trusses are connected to the bar 3| at the point of connection of the latter with the rods 33 upon the opposite side of the bar 3!. Each truss it will be noted corresponds in width to the distance between the center lines of contiguous blocks in the course. Cement layers 36 between the courses provide a bond between the blocks in adjacent courses and also fill the interstices between the rods of the grids.

The angle member 15 provides an excellent bearing for the marginal portions of the panel blocks. At the same time the reinforcing trusses impart a high degree of rigidity or resistance to collapse to the panel. The strength of the grid is greatly increased by reason of the cement in which it is embedded. Some cements even tend to adhere to the metal of the grid, thus further enhancing the strength of the latter. By emiploying the construction it is possible to providle panels of glass blocks possessing highly ornamental fluted surfaces and at the same time the panels of adequate resistance to withstand the forces to which such panels may be subjected.

The forms of the invention herein shown and described are to be regarded merely as exemplary. Numerous modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A building wall comprising a panel of glass blocks laid in superposed courses, said blocks in cross-sectional contour constituting segments of annulae and having concentric inner and outer surfaces, the blocks in each course being faced alternately inwardly and outwardly to provide flutings in the panel surface, and a rigid grid disposed between adjacent courses, said grid comprising a straight rod extending longitudinally of the panel and two similar parallel side rods bent in zig-zag fashion so as to have apices facing alternately inwardly and outwardly and conforming approximately to the flutings of the panel, said rods being directly attached at their inwardly facing apices to the first rod on Onposite sides thereof, whereby the grid is truss-like in character.

2. A building wall comprising a panel of glass blocks laid in superposed courses, said blocks in cross-sectional contour constituting segments of annulae and having concentric inner and outer surfaces, the blocks in each course being faced alternately inwardly and outwardly to provide flutings in the panel surface, layers of bonding cement between contiguous courses and a rigid grid disposed in the cement, said grid comprising a straight rod extending longitudinally of the panel and two similar parallel side rods bent in Zig-zag fashion so as to have apices facing alternately inwardly and outwardly and conforming approximately to the flutings of the panel, said side rods being directly attached at the inwardly facing apices to the first rod on opposite sides thereof whereby the grid is trusslike in character.

3. A building wall comprising a panel of glass blocks laid in superposed courses, said blocks in cross-sectional contour constituting segments of annulae and having concentric inner and outer surfaces, the blocks in each course being faced alternately inwardly and outwardly to provide flutings in the panel surface, layers of bonding cement between contiguous courses and a rigid grid disposed between adjacent courses, said grid comprising a straight rod extending longitudinally of the panel and two similar parallel side rods bent in zig-zag fashion so as to have apices facing alternately inwardly and outwardly and conforming approximately to the flutings of the panel, said rods being directly attached at the inwardly facing apices to the first rod on opposite sides thereof and transverse rods interconnecting the inwardly facing apices of one side rod and the corresponding outwardly facing apices of the other whereby the grid is truss-like in character.

4. A building wall comprising a panel of glass blocks laid in superposed courses, said blocks in cross-sectional contour constituting segments of annulae and having concentric inner and outer surfaces, the blocks in each course being faced alternately inwardly and outwardly to provide flutings in the panel surface, the courses being bonded together by intermediate layers of cement and a rigid grid disposed between adjacent courses, said grid comprising two similar parallel side rods bent in zig-zag fashion so as to have apices facing alternately inwardly and outwardly and conforming approximateiy to the flutings of the panel, a longitudinally-extending rod disposed between the side rods and having the latter attached directly thereto at the inwardly facing apices and transverse rods interconnecting the inwardly facing apices of one of the side rods with the corresponding outwardly facing apices of the other side rod, whereby the grid is truss-like in character.

5. As an article of manufacture a grid suitable for use as a. reinforcement in the cement between courses of blocks in a fluted wall, said grid comprising a straight rod extending longitudinally of the grid and two similar parallel side rods bent in zig-zag fashion so as to have 5 apices facing alternately inwardly and outwardly to conform to the flutings of the wall, said rods being directly attached at the inwardly facing apices to the first rod on opposite sides thereof,

transverse rods interconnecting the inwardly -facing apices on one side rod with the corresponding outwardly facing apices on the other side rod, whereby the truss is grid-like in character.

PERCY E. KNUDSEN. 

